Serving tray



Aug. 8, 1933.

E. S. GRAHAM SERVING TRAY Filed Nov. 14; 1932 ZZZ h Sh ug/TM far/ ./I Era/x am Mama/13' Patented Aug. 8, 1933 OFFICE SERVING TRAY Earl S. Graham, Dallas, Tex., assignor to Inside Tray Company, a Corporation of Texas Application November 14, 1932 Serial No. 642,480

7 Claims. (cits-51) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in serving trays.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved hanger for a serving tray, such as are used for serving edibles and drinks to persons in automobiles, or in any other place wherea tray may be supported by a hanger.

1 The principal object of the invention is to provide a serving tray assembly having a single upright adjustable hangermember adapted to solely suspend the assembly from the, window sill or upper edge of the door of a motor vehicle; andalso to provide as a part of the assembly fully spaced trunnion points adapted to bear against the lower inside surface of the door or vehicle body on each side of the upright hanger and co-acting with said single intermediate suspension, so that the tray may be hung level both transversely and longitudinally of the, vehicle body; and also whereby the single hanger may be quickly and easily placed and secured in a level position. 7 h An important object of the invention is to provide a serving tray assembly wherein a single upright hanger or suspending member also constitutes a convenient handle by which the assembly may be carried and placed in position in the vehicle. g g

i l-particular object of the invention is to providea tray hanger arranged .to engage over the sill of an automobile window or door, or other support, and including means whereby said hanger may be adjusted to the width of the sill and also to support the tray, which is attached to thehanger, ina level position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tray hanger having a fulcrum point or trunnion for engaging the wall of the supporting structure, together with an adjustable element I located ab ovethe fulcrumfor engaging the upper end of the supporting structure, whereby the hanger may be adjusted tov hold a tray in a level position. p

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood ,from a reading of the following specification and r by reference to the accompanying drawing in which an example of the invention is shown,

" and wherein:

Figure 1 is an isometrical view of a' hanger for a serving tray constructed in accordance with thein'vention,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same,

'ber 16, 1932, Serial No. 633,400.

fastened to the'center of the bar 16. The brace Figure 3 is a vertical sectional the line 33 of Figure 2, V

Figure 4 is an enlarged View of the adjusting device,

Figure 5 is a view showing the hanger supporting a tray on the inner side of the door of an automobile, the hanger and tray being shown in adjusted positions in full and dotted lines, and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4'showing 5? another form of slide. I

This application is filed as a continuation in part of myco-pending application filed Septem- In the drawing the numeral 10 designates a yoke or support 701 for a serving tray. This yoke is preferably made of bar metal bent at right angles so as to fit under the rim A of a tray B, across one end and along side of. said tray. For holding the tray in theyokespring clips 11 are engaged over the rim A andunder the'bottom edges of the yoke. By this arrangement not only is the tray removable, but any suitable'tray purchased in the 7 open market, may be used. j However, the invention is not, to be limited either to a removable 89. tray or a yoke as any support suitable for the purposemay beused to hang a tray mounted thereon in anysuitable manner. The yoke forms part of a hanger which also includes a fulcrum member 12 attached to the yoke, a suspending or hanger member 13 connected at its lower end. to fulcrum member 12 and the yoke, and an upright brace 14 connect: ing the ful'crunr andsuspending members. These parts are preferably made of strap or bar metal and bent to the desired shape, although they may be otherwise formed.

The fulcrum member 12, as shown, is formed of a single bar of metal bent to form a pair of V-shaped props or fulcrums 15 spaced apart by a connecting bar 16 secured to thecentral porview taken I on tion of the end portion of the yoke l0. The ends of the :member 12 a're bent from the props tof provide curved cars 17 fitting on the curved shoulders of the yoke. The member 12 may be fastened to the yoke by rivets or otherfastenings, or by welding or the like. The props preferablyextend horizontally inthe same plane as the yoke, but this is not essential.

The suspending member 13 is also preferably formed of bar metal and is bent to form a horizontal shankf18'at its upper end which is connected with a lug 19 at its lower end by an inclined handle portion 20. The lug is suitably member 14 is shown as formed of a single strap of metal bent into an arch and twisted upon itself so that its lower ends may be secured to the ends of the props 15, while its top may be flat against the under side of the shank 18, adjacent the handle portion 20. The brace is secured to the inner sides of the props and is fastened thereto and to the member 18 in any suitable manner.

A slide 21 is mounted on the shank 18 which has a stop 22 at its outer end. The slide may be made by bending a piece of metal to form overhanging flanges 23 engaging over each side of the shank, and a depending keeper 24 at the outer end. Ears 25 are bent upward at the inner ends of the flanges and an eccentric or cam 26 is pivoted on a pin 27 carried by saidears. The cam forms part of a lever 28 and is located between the flanges so as to bend upon the upper surface of the shank and thus lock the slide in place, whenthe lever is depressed.

It is obvious that when the lever 28 is swung upwardly as shown in Figure 1 and as in dotted lines in Figure 4, the slide may be freely slid along the shank 18, but when the lever is pressed down the cam 26 will bend on the shank and lock the slide in place. Various methods of fastening the slide might be used as the set screw 29 in Figure 8. In order to protect the supporting surface, elastic buttons 30 are fastened to the outer ends of the props, and these buttons form spaced fulcrum points on which the hanger may be rocked in a vertical plane to position the tray in a level position as is apparent from Figure 5.

In using the device the yoke 10 is attached to the tray B by the clipsll. The operator grasps the hanger by the handle 20 and thus carries the tray to the car; reaching through the window or door window opening, he places the fulcrum buttons 30 against the upholstery on the inner side of the body or door and rests the slide 21 on the sill C (Fig. 5) so that the keeper 24 depends in the opening between the glass D and the sill. He next rocks the hanger on the buttons 30 and moves the slide so that its keeper engages the sill, after which he presses down the lever 28 to lock the slide in place.

Due to the fact that the tray is not loaded when'the hanger is placed in position, and also to the fact that the upholstery will yield, the adjustment is made'as shown in dotted lines in Figure 5. When the dishes and other articles are later placed on the tray it will be swung down to a level position, as is obvious. There is always a considerable space between the sill and the glass and therefore the shank may be given sufficient length to permit the slide 21 to be adjusted so that the keeper 24 may engage the outside of a door not having a glass.

It is pointed out that the props or trunnions 15 are spaced apart a substantial distance on each side of the central hanger member 20. This fully braces the tray against accidental displacement in a horizontal plane. The slide 21 and shank 18 constitute a single suspension for the assembly and being narrow and located above, as well as centrally between, the trunnions, provide an adjustment co-acting with said trunnions, whereby the assembly may be swung on said suspension to adjust it in an arc longitudinally of the vehicle body and rocked transversely on its trunnions, with the result of leveling the tray both longitudinally and transversely of the vehicle body. The general triangular or pryamid a handle by which the hanger may be carried in one hand by the operator and the sill of the window is less encumbered than where two spaced suspensions are used. Further, door handles on each side of the hanger are not interfered with.

This device is advantageous in serving food and drink on a tray inside of the car, particular 1y as the tray may be placed not only over the lap of the diner, but below the sill or top of the door, thus making it more accessible to the diner than where it is on a level with the sill or top of the door. Further the tray 'may be leveled so as to prevent upsetting soft drink bottles, glasses and the like. The simplicity and sturdiness of the hanger is an important feature. The spacing of the props 15 and the arching of the brace 14 permits these parts to straddle the handles on the supporting wall. Dexterous op-,

erators while holding the handle 20 may depress the lever 28 with the heel of the palm of his hand, thus quickly and easily placing and adjusting the hanger with one hand.

The description which has been given recites more or less detail of a particular embodiment of the invention, which is set forth as new and useful, however, I desire it understood that the invention is not limited to such exact details of construction, because it is manifest that changes and modifications may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having illustrated and described preferred forms of the invention, what I claim is:

1. A serving tray assembly comprising,'a tray support for holding a tray in serving position, a hanger rigidly attached to said support and having a pair of spaced trunnions for engaging the inside of a vehicle body below its window sill, and a single narrow suspension 'element disposed between the trunnions and above the same for engaging on the window sill of a vehicle body, whereby the tray support may be slightly tilted and hang from a single suspension line on the window sill of a vehicle body a substantial distance below the same.

2. A serving tray assembly comprising, a tray support'for holding a tray in serving position,

a hanger rigidly attached to said support and having a pair of spaced trunnions for engaging the inside of a vehicle body below its window sill, and a single narrow adjustable suspension element disposed between the trunnions and above the same for engaging on the window sill of a vehicle body, whereby the tray support may be hung from a single suspension line on the window sill of a vehicle body a substantial distance below the same and adjustedby swinging on its single suspension line in one direction and in another direction by rocking on its trunnions to level said tray support longitudinally and transversely.

3. A serving tray assembly comprising, a tray support for holding a tray in serving position, a hanger rigidly attached to said support and having a pair of spaced trunnions'and a single narrow elevated hanging element located between said trunnions, said hanger converging upwardly from its trunnions to its single suspension element, whereby said hanger may be'hung from a single line on the window sill of a motor vehicle without interferingwith the door and serving position below the window S111.

pension element, whereby said hanger may be hung from a single line on the window sill of a motor vehicle without interfering with the door or window operators, and with the tray support in serving position below the window sill,

the single suspension element being adjustable to provide for rocking of the assembly on the spaced trunnions for leveling the tray support.

5. A serving tray assembly comprising, a tray support for holding a tray in serving position, horizontally disposed trunnions spaced laterally and rigid with the support, a'single hanger member extending upwardly from the support between the trunnions and constituting a handle, and a single narrow suspension element at the upper end of the hanger member for engaging on the window sill of a motor vehicle, whereby the entire assembly may be hung from a single suspension line and supported without underlying props, the single suspension element beingadjustable to provide for rocking of the assembly on the spaced trunnions for leveling the tray support.

6. A serving tray assembly comprising, a tray support for holding a tray in serving position,

horizontally disposed trunnions spaced laterally and rigid with the support, a single hanger member extending upwardly from the support between the trunnions and constituting a handle, a single narrow suspension element at the upper end of the hanger member for engaging on the window sill of a motor vehicle, whereby the entire assembly may be hung from a single suspension line and supported Without underlying props, and upwardly extending braces inclined from the trunnions to the upper end of the hanger member and spaced from the tray support, the single suspension element being adjustable to provide for rocking of the assembly on the spaced trunnions for leveling, the tray support. 7

7. A serving tray assembly comprising, a single rigid central hanger having an upright member and a single narrow adjustable suspension element at the upper end of the upright member, laterally spaced trunnions rigidly mounted on each side of said member, a serving tray attached to the lower end of the upright mem ber and connected with the trunnions, the trunnions and the suspension element co-acting to hang the assembly from a single line on the window sill of a motor vehicle and-against the inner side thereof, whereby the tray may be supported in a level serving position below the window sill of a motor vehicle and braced against displacement in a horizontal plane by said trunnions.

EARL S. GRAHAM. 

